To George Washington from Major General William Phillips, 28 October 1779
From Major General William Phillips
Bethlehem [Pa.] October 28th 1779
Sir
I have this Evening received Your Excellency’s letter of the 20th Instant.1
I have not failed on the Instant to communicate the Contents to Major General De Reidesel and have left him at full liberty to apply to the American Congress or not as he shall think proper on the subject of his going into New York.2
I am of Opinion it would be highly improper for me to address that Body on this occasion relating to myself, especially as to my future destination, it being a matter of perfect indifference to me—I left Virginia with the participation of General Washington, signified to me by Colonel Bland: And, as I have supposed, arising from some publick agreement between Sir Henry Clinton and Your Excellency in consequence, I should imagine, of a liberty it has pleased Sir Henry to grant to several American Officers of Rank to visit their friends and families, particularly Brigadiers Thomson and Waterbury who have been out from New York on Parole near Six Months.3
I will not, by insinuation or assertion, attempt to give an opinion on the conduct towards me of the American Congress in this matter, I leave it to time and the Sentiments of dispassionate Men to develope and to determine upon.4 I have the honour to be, Sir, with great personal Respect Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant
W. Phillips
LS, DLC:GW.
1. In response to several requests from Phillips, GW had written on 20 Oct.: “The power of granting or refusing them is in Congress, who, upon your application, I persuade myself, would give the requests due consideration.”
2. See Riedesel to GW, 29 October.
3. Phillips is referring to brigadier generals David Waterbury, who held a commission in the Connecticut militia, and William Thompson.
4. Phillips’s indignation stemmed from retraction of GW’s approval of his travel on parole to New York City after action by Congress related to proposed military operations with the French (see GW to Theodorick Bland, 11 Aug., and to Abraham Skinner, 2 Oct.; Samuel Huntington to GW, 28 Sept., and n.3 to that document; and Phillips to GW, 30 Sept., and n.1 to that document; see also the postscript to GW to John Jay, 24–27 Aug.). For subsequent congressional authorization for Phillips to proceed to New York City, see the Board of War to GW, 15 Nov., and the enclosures with that document.